The Pacific Northwest GITA Conference, previously set for April 23-24, has been POSTPONED until Fall 2018. New conference dates will be posted here and at www.gita.org as soon as they are announced.

April 26-27 — EnerGIS 2018 — Canonsburg, PA. Registration is OPEN! Join us for an exciting conference featuring inspiring and challenging talks about GIS within the energy industry. View the agenda. Don't forget about the legendary Day One Social Hour — ultimate networking experience!

Inside GNSS The federal government is rumored to be nearing a decision about Ligado Networks' request to repurpose its satellite frequencies to also support a ground-based telecom network. Those frequencies neighbor the band used by GPS. Testing done both several years ago and more recently has shown such a system could seriously interfere with GPS receivers. READ MORE

.

PRODUCT SHOWCASE

GIS Certificate Entirely OnlineEarn a GIS
certificate entirely online in less than a year! From remote sensing to UAVs,
learn the latest GIS skills and technology at the University of Denver. No GRE
required for admission and with four start dates per year, you can begin right
away. Learn more at universitycollege.du.edu/gis

Copernicus The Copernicus App Lab, a project funded by the EU, is inviting developers to join a beta testing period from April 17 to May 30. During this testing phase, anyone interested can visit the Copernicus App Lab website, test the tools and submit feedback. The project challenges mobile developers to test and work with established tools, to provide feedback, and even to come up with new and innovative applications using Earth observation data from the European Copernicus program. All participants in the beta phase will have access to a streaming data library and linked open data tools that make it easy to find, analyze and integrate Earth observation data into mobile app tools. Experience in integrating such data is not required to participate in the beta testing. Developers will get any support and information they need.

Additionally, the developer or the team that comes up with the best idea for using the Copernicus App Lab data and tools in a mobile app will get the chance to spend a fun-filled week of coding at ESA's Space App Camp in Frascati, Italy (with the travel and accommodation costs fully covered).

GPS WorldThe miniature UAV, smaller than a human palm, zips right to its human target — identified through facial recognition technology — and pierces the forehead with a projectile, for an instant kill.
That harrowing scene takes place in a seven-minute viral video issued by autonomousweapons.org, a non-profit sounding warning bells over potential automation of weapons.READ MORE

Directions MagazineCitizen science digital applications that involve maps and mapping are at an all-time high. The expectations of Web 2.0 are fully established, and we are very familiar with the process of contributing data online. Using our smart phones to measure our location on the earth's surface has enabled automatic geotagging of the photos we take, and sharing of our location and any other information we choose to provide. READ MORE

EJI InsightTsinghua University and LinkedIn, a professional social networking platform, have recently released The China Digital Economy Talent Report. The study finds a huge talent gap in newly emerged fields such as big data analysis and digital marketing. The shortage of training expertise in emerging technologies and innovations is also severe.
Encouraging the next generation of our labor force to study information technology and engage in IT-related work will not only fill up more vacancies but also enhance our competitiveness.READ MORE

GIS ProfessionalToday, we are seeing a sudden awakening around the topic of data ethics. Although ethics have always existed, the recent scandals around Facebook and Cambridge Analytica have changed the tone of the discussion — especially as we learn that our personal data is actually a monetizable resource. These recent developments, which have received the full glare of the media spotlight, should be considered as a ringing alarm clock that is impossible to stop.READ MORE

Geospatial WorldThe infrastructure and construction industry is undergoing a lot of seismic transformations that will change its essential character and redefine the industry — which has conventionally traversed at a snail's pace in incorporating innovative technology — to maximize utility, boost productivity and streamline delivery.
BIM is already playing a crucial role in this drastic transformation of the construction industry and making it more efficient, reliable, accurate and cost-effective as well as sustainable.READ MORE

xyHtTo prepare you for the this blog post, I wish to point out that I am a geospatial expert and can hold my own around the ins and outs of survey, so going to an event at the Ordnance Survey on "3D mapping for the improvement of GNSS in urban areas" was an eye-opener. You see, I went to the event as it was related to my area of expertise, 3D mapping, but came out seeing how we need more accurate information and better 3D data.READ MORE

Spatial SourceThe dust is finally settling after another stellar Locate conference, and four phenomena revealed themselves as ubiquitous, rapidly developing and happening right now.
Locate co-located with Geosmart Asia for 2018 to provide a bustling, inspiring three days of presentations, networking, and socializing for delegates at the Adelaide Convention Centre.READ MORE

Point of BeginningFor surveyors, the "unexpected" in the field is not usually welcome. Surprises lead to challenges to resolve, time delays and, often, increased costs.
But occasionally, there are pleasant surprises. Like when Even Sellevoll, a survey engineer with Norwegian company, Geomatikk Survey, set up his integrated total station and scanner instrument to survey a power line, and it revealed a capability he wasn't aware it had. READ MORE